HC Deb 28 February 1991 vol 186 cc556-7W
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he intends to take to minimise the time taken to inform care authorities of doubts about the safety of a fostered child.

Mr. Dorrell

Government guidance to agencies on the protection of children from abuse contained in the document "Working Together" a copy of which is available in the Library, applies equally to all children, whether in foster care, at home with parents or in residential accommodation. Under the Boarding-out of Children (Foster Placement) Regulations 1988 local authorities are required to make regular supervisory visits to each foster home and also to regularly review the child's welfare and progress, including health, physical, educational and social development. The child must be seen alone whenever the person authorised to visit considers this appropriate.

Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he intends to take to implement a national framework for foster parent training.

Mr. Dorrell

The current Government guidance on foster care refers to the kinds of training needed by all

Deaths from ischaemic heart disease (ICD 410–414)
1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
England
Males Number 85,340 83,035 81,037 79,036 77,095
Rate 3.72 3.6 3.51 3.41 3.31
Females Number 66,868 65,086 63,824 63,797 63,414
Rate 2.77 2.69 2.63 2.62 2.6
Wales
Males Number 5,852 5,584 5,492 5,419 5,344
Rate 4.29 4.08 3.99 3.91 3.83
Females Number 4,413 4,300 4,251 4,233 4,342
Rate 3.05 2.96 2.91 2.88 2.93
England, Wales and elsewhere
Males Number 91,626 89,073 86,978 84,880 82,847
Rate 3.77 3.65 3.55 3.45 3.36
Females Number 71,478 69,594 68,257 68,204 67,947
Rate 2.79 2.71 2.65 2.64 2.62
Mersey Regional Health Authority
Males Number 4,717 4,543 4,315 4,361 4,208
Rate 4.02 3.89 3.7 3.74 3.6
Females Number 3,815 3,604 3,530 3,558 3,655
Rate 3.05 2.89 2.84 2.87 2.95
Crewe District Health Authority
Males Number 487 481 456 498 468
Rate 4.04 3.97 3.74 4.08 3.76
Females Number 389 404 332 383 376
Rate 3.11 3.22 2.63 3.03 2.93

Source:OPCS 1985–1988 DH5 Mortality Statistics 1989 VS5

Rate per 10,000 population (ie number of deaths *10,000/population)